The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as one of nine districts within Derbyshire. The new district covered the area of six former districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[3]
The new district was initially named "West Derbyshire", reflecting its position within the wider county.[4] The council changed the name to "Derbyshire Dales" with effect from 1 January 1987.[5][6]
Derbyshire Dales District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Derbyshire County Council. The district is also entirely covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[10] In the parts of the district within the Peak District National Park town planning is the responsibility of the Peak District National Park Authority.[11] The district council appoints two of its councillors to serve on the 30-person National Park Authority.[12]
Since 2014 the district has been a non-constituent member of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (formerly known as the Sheffield City Region); the council sends representatives to meetings of the combined authority, but the electorate of Derbyshire Dales do not vote in elections for the Mayor of South Yorkshire.[13]
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[15][16]
Following the 2023 election and two by-elections in February 2024, the composition of the council was:[22][23]
The next election is due in 2027.
Elections
Since the last boundary changes in 2023 the council has comprised 34 councillors representing 21 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[24]
The district is entirely within the Derbyshire Dales parliamentary constituency, created in 2010. The constituency is slightly larger than the district, also including parts of Amber Valley.[25]
Premises
The council is based at Matlock Town Hall on Bank Road in Matlock. The oldest part of the building was built c. 1850 as a house called Bridge House. It was bought by the local council in 1894 and a large Italianate extension facing Bank Road was completed in 1898. The building served as the headquarters of Matlock Urban District Council between 1894 and 1974. Following local government reorganisation further large extensions were added in 1979.[26]
Places and parishes
The district is entirely divided into civil parishes. The parish councils for Ashbourne, Bakewell, Darley Dale, Matlock and Wirksworth take the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council.[27]
Matlock Mercury is the local newspaper that covers the area.[28]
References
^ a bUK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Derbyshire Dales Local Authority (E07000035)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
^"Resident Population Estimates by Ethnic Group (Percentages) Area: Derbyshire Dales (Local Authority)". Neighbourhood Statistics. National Office for Statistics. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
^"Progressive Alliance to run Dales council". Derbyshire Dales District Council. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
^"Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
^"Derbyshire Dales". BBC News Online. Retrieved 29 September 2009.
^"Council minutes". Derbyshire Dales District Council. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
^"All change on council". Ashbourne News Telegraph. 1 June 1995. p. 1. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
^"Councillors to decide on a new leader". Ashbourne News Telegraph. 12 February 1998. p. 7. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
^"Community forums to make comeback". Ashbourne News Telegraph. 26 May 1999. p. 12. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
^Bisknell, Eddie (10 March 2023). "Derbyshire Dales Tory council leader resigns after private Gypsy promise". Derbyshire Live. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
^"Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
^Boothroyd, David (23 February 2024). "Butler chosen for Bakewell delicacy". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 24 February 2024.